Apparatus for passing articles suspended from supporting devices through baths



Aug. 8, 1933. J.- OERTLI v APPARATUS FOR PASSING ARTICLES SUSPENDED FRO}! SUPPORTING DEVICES THROUGH BATES Filed May 16. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Josud Oeri'lz' 726g CL..";\S\

- a Await I I I l Aug. 8, 1933. J. OERTLI 1,921,205

APPARATUS FOR PASSING ARTICLES SUSPEIDED FRO! SUPPORTING DEVICES THROUGH BATES Filed May 16, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvemfor Jbsua Oerilz' 6 his uqiiornqy Patented Aug. 8, 1933 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR PASSING ARTICLES SUS- PENDED FROM SUPPORTING DEVICES THROUGH BATHS Josua Oertli, Berlin- Siemensstadt, Germany, 4 assignor to Siemens & Halske, Aktiengesellschaft, Siemensstadt near Berlin, Germany, a Corporation of Germany Application May 16, 1931, Serial No. 537.854,

and in Germany May 31, 1930 27 Claims. (01. 214 17 My invention relates to apparatus for passing articles suspended from supporting devices through baths.

It has already been proposed to employ apparatus for feeding articles or objects through baths, more particularly electroplating baths, in which on two opposite sides of the bath or tank there are located two pairs of frames or bars which by means of cranks or eccentric drives suitably displaced relatively to each other are moved in such a manner that supporting devices placed upon said frames or bars and from which the articles to be treated are suspended are alternately carried by one 01' the other pair of frames or bars and thereby fed or advanced through the bath. Such apparatus is described in the British Patent No. 298,184. Apparatus of this kind has the disadvantage, that the baths or tanks are accessible with difiiculty only due to 20 the conveying or feeding mechanism being farranged at both sides of the tanks. It is, furthermore, necessary to return the supporting devices placed across the reciprocating frames or bars along a path outside the machine to the beginning of the tanks after the articles have traversed the baths and been subjected to the treatment therein.

According to my invention these drawbacks are eliminated by mounting arms on the transport frames or bars which extend transversely across the tanks or baths and are so designed that suitably shaped supporting or carrying devices are suspended from them and are advanced by them from one end of the tank to the other. The conveying or transporting device may then be arranged entirely on one side of the tanks or baths which are then readily accessible from the other.

In case the articles or objects suspended from the supporting devices should temporarily pass over certain baths without being immersed in them, there are according to a further feature I of my invention provided rails across which the supporting devices pass automatically with their rollers, which will be described more fully later as the specification proceeds.

In the drawings affixed to and forming part of my specification Fig. 1 illustrates one embodiment of my invention in elevation,

Fig. 2 is a cross-section along line 1-1 of Fig. 1, viewed from the right-hand side, and

Figs. 3 and 4 the rails for bridging and quickly passing over baths which are temporarily out of use.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it

will beobserved that .the double crankshaft b is journaled in the bearings a and a, and is driven by the worm-gear c. The frames or bars d and d connected with the crank carry the-brackets e and e, respectively. The-two brackets e, e on the bars 11 carry at their upper ends the tube 1 and two brackets e, e on the bars d, d the tube f. In these tubes are telescoped rods l1. and h'respectively. At the ends of these rods there are fixed the upwards tapering members or points It and k respectively, and at about the center of the machine the strips or tongues z and 2" respectively. These strips project through the recesses or slots g and g respectively of the tubes and and serve as terminals for the current supply to the rods h and h. Q On the points or fingers k and 7c are supported the suspension devices or links 1 to which are attached the articles or objects to be treated in the tank containing the electroplating bath.

The mode of operation of this apparatus is as follows: the supporting devices hanging with their roof-shaped or triangular hooks n on the points or fingers k participate for a certain time in the movementswof the frame or bar d, and are transferred to the points or fingers Ic when the frames or bars :2 and d are located at the same height. The ascending points It then engage the hooks n and lift the supporting devices off the descending points It. After the double crankshaft b has performed a further half revolution, the supporting devices are again taken over by the points k. This continues until the articles have-reached the end of the tank where they are lifted .out by a system of levers, not shown. To facilitate the transfer of thesupporting devices from one point or finger,

to the next, the rods h and h are adapted to turn within the tubes f and f respectively, so that the points or fingers It and k are able to perform a small angular motion limited by stops on the points coming in contact with cut out portions of the tubes. of the points and to ensure a good contact for thepassage of the electric current from the points to the hooks,openings o are provided in the sidewalls of the roof-shaped or triangular hooks n.

. With the equipment illustrated in the draw-..

ings may be combined other known structures which serve to transfer the articles from the bath in one tank into the bath in the next tank. To pass the articles quickly over comparatively large distances, for instance across baths which To facilitate the cleaning are not made use of in the process of treatment,

which the articles are subjected to, and to return the empty supporting devices easily to the beginning of the tank, rollers p are provided upon the supporting devices which enable these devices to run along inclined rails back to the starting end of the tank.

The equipment may, if the articles to be treated are not too heavy, be modified in such a way that instead of pairs of frames or bars andpairs of brackets which simultaneously attain their highest and lowest positions, only one frame (1 and one frame 11' are: provided so that each tube f and f respectivelyds carried only by one bracket e and 6' respectively. Tanks -may also be located at both sides of the conveying or transporting mechanism and the arms for carrying the supporting devices may extend towards both sides of the conveying or transporting mechanism. I V

The transport of the'articles from one tank into the next but one, i. e. under omission of an intermediate tank not required for the moment, takes place by apparatus shown by way of example in Figs. 3 and 4 of thedrawings in elevation and plan. I

Referring to these Figures 1, 2 and 3 are tanks containing the solutions or electrolytes for treating the articles or objects. These articles are suspended from supporting devices 4 'which hang by means of the roof-shaped or triangular hooks 5 on the arms 6 extending across the tanks. These arms are mounted on the frames or bars 8 and 9 extending along the tanks by means of the brackets '7.

These frames or bars are again vertically reciprocated by means of a double crank drive, from the motor 10, points on the frames describing a circular path as indicated in broken lines. The supporting devices pass successively from one overhanging arm 6 to the next so that To transfer the articles from one tank to the next, the,stands a, a with the system of levers 11, 11 are so arranged between the tanks that the lever 14 lifts the supporting device at the triangular or roofsh'ap'ed hook ofi the overhanging arm and transfers it to the lever 15, which conveys it into the next bath.- Intermediate positions during this process are indicated by broken lines at 1 and 11.

If in any particular process of treatment,

the articles or objects should not traverse a certain bath, for instance the bath in the tank 2, the rail 12 is arranged at the height of the stands in such a way that on lowering the lever 15 the supporting device is hung on the rail 12 with a roller 13 fixed at its upperend. As this rail is inclined the supporting device runs along it and reaches the other stand a. The inclined.

rail is at this end provided with a hook 16 at which the supporting device is arrested until the lever 14 lifts it ofi the rail and transfers it into the tank or bath 3. I

To prevent the overhanging arms mounted at the bath 2 colliding with the supporting device which runs along the rail 12, this rail is curved in such a way that the objects clear the arms by a certain distance. The rail is at 17 and 18 secured in such a way that it may be swung upwards as required or be brought into the path of the supporting device. It will be understood,- howeven that it may in an easily detachable manner be mounted on the tank in any other suitable manner, and that other structural alterations may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A conveyor for passing articles, suspended from supporting devices, through baths, in which the-movement of at least two frames continuously moved in parallel planes by means of crank arms or eccentric drives staggered in relation to each other, is transmitted to arms extending across the tanks containing the baths, and which at their ends located above the baths carry angularly movable tapering suspension members.

2. A conveyor for passing articles, suspended from supporting devices, through baths, in whichthe movement of at least two frames continuously moved in parallel planes by means of crank arms or eccentric drives staggered in relation to eachother, is transmitted to arms extending across the tanks containing the baths, and which at their, ends located above the baths carry angularly movable tapering suspension members adapted to engage corresponding receiving members of thearticle supporting device.

3. A conveyorfor passing articles, suspended from supporting devices, through baths, in which the movement of at least two frames continuously moved in parallel planes by means of crank arms or eccentric drives staggered in relation to each other, is transmitted to arms extending across the tanks containing the baths, and which at their ends located above the baths carry angularly movable tapering suspension members adapted to engage hook-shaped members of the articles supporting device.

4. A conveyor for passing articles, suspended from supporting devices, through baths, in which the movement ofat least two frames continuously moved in parallel planes by means of crank arms or eccentric drives staggered in relation to each other, is transmitted to arms extending across the tanks containing the baths, and which at their ends located above the baths carry angularly movable tapering suspension members adapted to engageroof-shaped or triangular hooks located at the upper end of the article supporting device.

5. A conveyor for passing articles. suspended from supporting devices, through baths, in which the-movement of at least two frames continuously moved in parallel planes by means of .crank arms or eccentric drives staggered in relation to each other, is transmitted to arms extending across the tanks containing the baths, and which at their ends located above the baths car ry angularly movable tapering suspension members adapted to engage corresponding receiving members of the article supporting device, and rollers located upon the supporting device above the suspension members adapted to enable said supporting device to travel along inclined rails.

6. A conveyor ,for'passing articles, suspended from supporting devices, through baths, in which the movement of at least two frames continuously moved in parallel planes bymeans of crank arms or eccentric drives staggered in relation to each other, is transmitted to arms extending across the tanks containing the baths, and which at their ends located above the baths carry angularly movable tapering suspension members and which at their ends located above the baths carry angularly movable tapering suspension members adapted to engage roof-shapedor triangular hooks located at the upper end of the article supporting device, and rollers located upon the supporting device above said roofshaped hooks adapted to enable said supporting device to travel along inclined rails.

8. Conveying apparatus for passing articles, suspended from supporting devices, through tanks, in which the movement of at least two frames located at one side of the tank and continuously reciprocated in parallel planes by means of crank arms or eccentric drives displaced in relation to each other is transmitted to arms extending across the, tanks, and angu larly movable tapering suspension members mounted at the ends of said arms located above the tanks.

9. Conveying apparatus for passing articles, suspended from supporting devices, through tanks, in which the movement of at least two frames located at one side of the tank and continuously reciprocated in parallel planes by means of crank arms or eccentric drives dis placed in relation to each other is transmitted to arms extending across the tanks, and angularly movable tapering suspension members mounted at the ends of said arms located above the tanks, and adapted to engage corresponding reception members provided upon the article supporting devices.

10. Conveying apparatus for passing articles, suspended from supporting devices, through tanks, in which the movement of at least two frames located at one side of the tank and continuously reciprocated in parallel planes by means of crank arms or eccentric drives displaced in relation to each other is transmitted,

to arms extending across the tanks, and angularly movable tapering suspension members mounted at the ends of said arms locatedabove the tanks, and adapted to engage hook-shaped members provided upon the article supporting devices.

11. Conveying apparatus for passing articles, suspended from supporting devices, through tanks, in which the movement of at least two frames located at one side of the tank and continuously reciprocated in parallel planes by means of crank arms or eccentric drives displaced iri'relation to each other is transmitted to arms extending across the tanks, and angularly movable tapering suspension members mounted at the ends of said arms located above the tanks, and adapted to engage roof-shaped or triangular hooks at the upper end of the article supporting devices.

12. Conveying apparatus for passing articles, suspended from supporting devices, through tanks, in which the movement of at least two frames located at one side of the tank and contimiously reciprocated in parallel planes by means of crank arms or eccentric drives displaced irr relation to each other is transmitted to arms extending across the tanks, and angularly movable tapering suspension members mounted at the ends of said arms located above the tanks, and adapted to engage corresponding reception members provided upon the article supporting devices, and roller located upon said supporting devices above the reception members for the suspension members on the arms, to;

enable said supporting devices to travel along inclined rails.

13. Conveying apparatus for passing articles, suspended from supporting devices, through tanks, in which the movement of at least two frames located between two rows of tanks and continuously reciprocated in parallel planes by means of crank arms or eccentric drives displaced in relation to each other is transmitted to arms extending across said two rows of tanks,

suspended from supporting devices, through tanks, in which the movement of at least two frames located between two rows of tanks and continuously reciprocated in parallel planes by means of crank 'arms or eccentric drives displaced in relation to each other is transmitted to arms extending across said two rows of tanks, angularly movable tapering suspension members mounted at the ends of said arms located above the tanks, and adapted to engage corresponding reception members provided upon the article supporting devices.

15. Conveying apparatus for passing articles, suspended from supporting devices, through tanks, in which the movement of at least two frames located between two rows of tanks and continuously reciprocated in parallel planes by means of crank arms or eccentric drives displaced in relation to each other is transmitted to arms extending across said two rows of tanks,

angularly movable tapering suspension members mounted at the ends of said arms located above the tanks, and adapted to engage hook-shaped members provided upon the article supporting devices.

16. Conveying apparatus for passing articles, suspended from supporting devices, through tanks, in which the movement of at least two frames. located between two rows of tanks and continuously reciprocated in parallel planes by means of crank arms orieccentric drives displaced in relation to each other is transmitted to arms extending across said two rows of tanks,

angularly movable tapering suspension members mounted at the ends of said arms located'above the tanks, and adapted to, engage roof-shaped hooks located at the upper end of the article supporting devices.

17. Conveying apparatus for passing articles, suspended from supporting devices, through tanks, in which the movement of at least twoenable said article supporting devices to travel along inclined rails.

18. The combination of a series of tanks, a conveyer associated with each tank for passing article carriers through the corresponding tank. transfer mechanisms for shifting the article carriers from one conveyer tothe next in the series, and a movable trackway adapted tobe interposed between the successive transfer mechanisms to transport the article carriers wholly above the tank associated with said successive mechanisms.

19. The combination as described in claim 18,'

in which the interposable trackway is inclined downward from its receiving to its delivery end.

20. The combination as described in claim 18, in which the interposable trackwayis inclined downward from its receiving to its delivery end and is provided with an abutment at its delivery end to arrest the movement of the article carriers.

rods carried by the brackets and extending part way over the tank containing the bath, fingers on the ends of the rods, and links on which the articles are suspended having hooks adapted to be engaged by the fingers successively.

23. A conveyer as set forth in claim 22, in which the rods are journaled for limited rotary movement on the brackets to facilitate engagement and detachment of the fingers and hooks.

24. A conveyer as set forth in claim 22, in which the rods are journaled for limited rotary movement on the brackets to facilitate engagement and detachment of the fingers and hooks, said hooks having upwardly converging side walls.

25. A conveyer, comprising parallel bars, a double throw crank'connected to said bars for oscillating said bars in parallel planes, spaced '-brackets carried by said bars, transverse rods supported by said-brackets, and links having lateral hook members adapted 'to engage and disengage the ends of said rods successively.'

26. A conveyer as set forth in claim 25, in which the rods are provided with fingers on their ends and are journaled for limited rotary movement on the brackets to facilitate engagement and detachment of the fingers and hooks.

27. A conveyer as set forth in claim 25, in which the rods are provided with fingers on their ends and are journaled for limited rotary movement on the brackets to facilitate engagement and detachment of the fingers and hooks, the hooks on said .links having downwardly flared side walls. r

J OSUA OERTLI. 

